Before the Fireworks
by Miss Raye
Summary: take off on 7/5/13 episode - Who knew marshmallows could be so dangerous... Haven't decided if this is Quiz or Nikel


*started from a moment in the 7/5 episode*

Aiden brought her the first toasted marshmallow and gave her a sticky kiss on her cheek. When she laughed, AJ looked over at her from the grill. "He snuck a few before we even got them on the sticks."

After eating her marshmallow from her stick, Elizabeth hugged her youngest to her side and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You're right... he's much more delicious than the marsh- AJ, careful!"

When AJ looked down at the grill he saw that the marshmallows that he was toasting had both caught fire. "Whoops!"

He blew them out and looked back at Elizabeth. "Looks like they're done!"

Aiden's expression was telling. He didn't want to eat the blackened treats.

AJ nodded, agreeing. "Maybe I'll just scrape these off and we'll start over."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nope. When we used to go camping with our parents, Sarah would burn them just like that and I'd eat them. I learned how to peel off the outside and eat the rest. It was better than throwing them away."

Shrugging, AJ walked over and handed the stick to her. "When you're done, Aiden and I will make-"

"Aiden!"

Her little boy, tucked close to her side turned around in her arms and looked over her shoulder. "Spence!" Elizabeth let go and Aiden ran over to his cousin.

AJ and Nikolas looked at each other over Elizabeth's head. Nikolas was the one to break the silence. Still he addressed Elizabeth and not AJ. "Sorry, we were looking for a place to sit and enjoy the fireworks, I didn't know..."

Elizabeth recovered from her shock and smiled. "It's nice to see you." She looked at Spencer standing nearby with Aiden. "And it's very nice to see you, Spencer." She opened her arms and the young boy wrapped his arms around her in an enthusiastic hug.

"You look really pretty, Aunt Elizabeth!"

"And you, Spencer, are too sweet for words."

"He's only telling you the truth."

Elizabeth looked up at Nikolas, a lump in her throat, at the wistful tone of his voice. "Thank you."

Nikolas looked like he wanted to say more, but he looked at AJ and took Spencer's hand. "We should find someplace to sit before the fireworks start."

Spencer looked up at his father with confusion. "But, Dad! We can sit here with Aiden and Aunt Elizabeth!"

Nikolas shook his head. "Aunt Elizabeth is... they're having a picnic with AJ."

Turning his confused gaze to Elizabeth, Spencer blinked at her. "But I... but, Dad," he turned back to his father, "we're family!"

AJ saw the torn look on Elizabeth's face. "No problem... Go ahead and set up your chair, Spencer... we have room enough for everyone."

Spencer grabbed his chair from his dad and he and Aiden started to set it up near Elizabeth. As the boys were working, Nikolas approached AJ. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he was going to-"

"It's fine, Nikolas." AJ's smile was strained but firmly in place. Looking at Elizabeth his smile eased. "We'd be happy to have you and Spencer join us."

Aiden picked up the soccer ball and showed it to Spencer. "Want to play?"

Elizabeth touched Aiden on the shoulder. "I thought you and AJ were toasting marshmallows, sweetie."

"Hey," AJ shook his head, "no problem, he should play with Spencer if he wants to... later the boys can toast enough for all of us."

The two boys darted off to find a bigger open area nearby and Elizabeth suddenly found herself between Nikolas and AJ. The tension was enough to make her squirm. She picked at the burnt marshmallows on the sticks she held, earning her a grimace from both men.

"If you don't like it... don't stare at me... I don't mind it so much."

Nikolas shuddered. "I don't know how tasty burnt fluff is supposed to be."

Elizabeth shrugged. "When you're the youngest of three, you get what you can and you learn to enjoy it."

Both men looked at each other. They were both first born children in their families and the idea hadn't occurred to them.

Nikolas continued. "Still, with Steven and Sarah absent, you should be able to have the best parts if you'd like them."

"But now I'm a mother, I leave those for the boys." She picked at another piece and put it in her mouth.

AJ agreed. "We have more than half a bag left. I'll make you another one."

Her nose wrinkled a bit and coughed. "No... that's okay. I also don't eat a lot of sugar." She looked at AJ with a wry grin. "Have to worry about my figure after three children."

Both men jumped in to disavow her of that worry, but it only made her wave off the compliments. "I'm surrounded by gentlemen... how wonder... how wonderf..." Elizabeth pressed a hand to her chest. "Wonderful."

AJ moved closer. "Elizabeth?" He tilted his head to the side. "Is there something wrong?"

She tried to wave it off. "Maybe it's just the heat of the day, but I'm not feeling..." she looked at AJ and then Nikolas, "I'm not feeling all that well."

Nikolas took her hand and felt the clammy chill of her skin. "What's wrong?"

Elizabeth blinked at him. "What?" She giggled softly. "Nothing... I'm fine."

AJ touched her forehead. "You're not feverish." He turned her head to look at him. "Tell me how you feel."

She tried to pull back from him. "My stomach hurts."

Nikolas reached for the picnic basket and pulled it closer. He started going through the contents, sparing a dark glare for AJ. He didn't say the words but his expression spoke volumes.

"It's not the relish," AJ shook his head. "New York wasn't even my fault, remember?"

"Well this isn't New York," Nikolas ground out, "but she's still sick."

"I work in a hospital," she reminded them softly, "I'm around sickness all day long. I might have caught something there."

"But you were fine just an hour ago," AJ's tone was worried, his expression very concerned. "It had to be something here."

Elizabeth gasped and pressed her hand over her heart with her other hand, dropping the sticks down onto the blanket. "I feel like my heart... it's not... it feels strange." Panic was rising in her voice.

Nikolas looked down at the oddly shaped sticks on the blanket. "Where did you get those?"

AJ looked down at the sticks and shook his head. "I asked Aiden to get them from the trees over there." He waved his hand at the standing group of trees near the wall. "I forgot those metal sticks at home so I thought it would be-"

Nikolas noticed the flower she had tucked into her loose bun. "Where did you get the flower?"

"This isn't the time," AJ's protest went quiet at Nikolas' look.

"Tell me."

Elizabeth's gaze couldn't quite focus on him. "It was on one of the sticks that Aiden brought back."

Plucking the flower from her hair, Nikolas turned back to AJ, his glare narrowing on the other man. "Spencer!"

The boys ran back, Spencer holding the soccer ball in his hands. "What's wrong, Dad?"

"Remember where we saw Dr. Drake?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, he was with-"

"Go and tell him we have an emergency... now."

The boys ran off and Nikolas turned in time to catch Elizabeth as she slumped against him.

"What's going on?"

AJ was reaching for Elizabeth when Nikolas shook his head. "Those trees are oleander, AJ. Elizabeth's been poisoned."

"Oleander?" AJ looked at the trees. "We have those along the edge of our property, what are you talking about?"

Nikolas ignored him, gently touching Elizabeth's face. "Elizabeth, honey... look at me."

AJ took out his cell phone and called 911.

Her eyes seemed to swim as she struggled to look at him. "Nikolas... hey..."

"I need you to focus, honey... please." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I need you to fight this and stay with me, here... I need you to fight."

"I... it... my chest hurts." She reached up and her hand touched his arm. "The boys... where-"

"The boys are fine, Elizabeth." AJ swallowed the pain he felt as he watched her cling to Nikolas' arm. "They've gone to get help."

Nikolas looked down at her and brushed her hair back from her face. "They went to get Patrick... just hold on."

"Nikolas?" Patrick came around the corner with Spencer hot on his heels. Sabrina was behind him, carrying Aiden in her arms. "What's wrong?" The doctor was on his knees beside Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, can you tell me what's wrong?"

She opened her mouth but no sound came out.

"She ate marshmallows off of Oleander sticks."

Patrick recoiled, looking at Nikolas. "Did you call for an ambulance?"

"I did." AJ sat nearby, his heart in his throat. "I had no idea what that tree was and-"

"Worry about it later," Patrick shook off the thought and pulled a stethoscope from his bag. "Elizabeth, can you look at me?"

She moved her eyes slowly to his face and she nodded.

"Looks like we're headed back to work," he tried to get her to smile, "I didn't realize you loved the place so much."

"Aiden..." she searched for him with her eyes and when Sabrina walked up with him in her arms, she smiled. "... baby."

"Mama?" Aiden's eyes widened as he saw his mother on the ground, surrounded b y so many concerned faces. "Mama!"

Sabrina took Spencer's hand and walked the children to a nearby bench as Patrick worked. Moments later, two EMTs wheeled a gurney onto the grass. As they transferred Elizabeth onto the stretcher, she grabbed at Nikolas' arm. "The boys."

"I'll bring them to the hospital, honey... just be strong. We'll be in the car right behind you."

"The boys," she repeated as her hand dropped away from his arm.

Nikolas watched the EMTs rolled the gurney down the path toward the waiting ambulance, with AJ at her side, before he moved toward Sabrina. "Here, Aiden, come with me, son." He lifted the boy up into his arms and felt a certain pain lance through his own body as Aiden wrapped his arms around his neck and squeezed. "Spencer, come on... let's get to the car."

As they ran together through the crowds, Nikolas vowed to himself that Elizabeth was going to make it though this like she'd survived everything else... and until she did he was going to be there by her side.

**not sure if this will stay as a one-shot or continue... so i'll let the comments decide*


End file.
